1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for moving back a combining screen in a dashboard of a vehicle. The combining screen is used for superposing an image of optical information emitted from a displaying device on a foreground seen through a windshield of the vehicle so as to be visible from a driver""s eye. The displaying device is disposed in the dashboard, and the combining screen is positioned above the dashboard at the operational position thereof.
2. Related Art
A head-up display used in a vehicle provides optional information required for operating the vehicle such that the information is superposed on a foreground visible through a windshield of the vehicle. A driver who is operating the vehicle can see the optional information with a less view line movement from the foreground.
One of such head-up displays provides optional information through a combining screen which is positioned to be inwardly spaced from a windshield. It is important that the combining screen is not an annoyance for a driver who is looking a foreground during the operation of the vehicle.
In the meantime, a larger displayed image has been desired, e.g. to display a foreground which is taken by an infrared ray camera in a worse sight condition at night.
When a larger sized combining screen is employed to show such a larger image, the combining screen is an annoyance for a driver particularly in the daytime where the combining screen is less used than at night. Therefore, it is preferable to move back the combining screen in a dashboard when the driver does not desire the use of the combining screen, even in an ordinarily sized combining screen.
However, the dashboard requires a larger accommodation space above a displaying device to receive the larger combining screen, since the combining screen is located between the windshield and the displaying device which is also accommodated in the dashboard.
The combining screen is generally inclined along the windshield, which makes the accommodation space further larger. Accordingly, it is not easy to move back the combining screen above the displaying device.
In view of the above-mentioned situation, an object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for moving back a combining screen used for a head-up display disposed in a limited accommodation space of a dashboard of a vehicle when the combining screen is not used. The combining screen is used for superposing an image of optical information emitted from a displaying device on a foreground of the vehicle so as to be visible from a driver""s eye. The displaying device is disposed in the dashboard, and the combining screen is positioned above the dashboard at its operational position.
For achieving the object, a first aspect of the invention is a method for moving back a combining screen in a dashboard of a vehicle when the combining screen is not used. The combining screen is used for superposing an image of optical information emitted from a displaying device on a foreground of the vehicle so as to be visible for a driver""s eye. The displaying device is disposed in the dashboard. The combining screen is positioned above the dashboard and is inclined by a predetermined angle relative to an upward direction of the vehicle in an operational state of the combining screen. The method includes the step of moving the combining screen along a straight line between an operational position and an intermediate position, the intermediate position located above the displaying device in the dashboard. The method further includes the step of moving the combining screen along a curve between the intermediate position and a stored position where the combining screen is located adjacent to the displaying device in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle within the dashboard.
In the first aspect of the invention, the combining screen moves linearly between the operational position located above the dashboard and the intermediate position located above the displaying device in the dashboard. The dashboard requires an opening in the dashboard to pass the combining screen in an upright state, but the opening may be minimized in size.
In the meantime, the combining screen moves along the curve between the intermediate position and the stored position to be received adjacent to the displaying device in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Thus, the combining screen is received at the stored position not to vertically align with the displaying device.
During the movement of the combining screen along the curve between the intermediate position and the stored position, the inclination angle of the combining screen varies so that the combining screen can be received in the dashboard at the stored position in conformity with the layout of the displaying device.
Thus, the dashboard may have a comparatively smaller opening to pass the combining screen. The accommodation space of the combining screen in the dashboard is not located above the displaying device, allowing a minimized increase in size of the dashboard, particularly of the height thereof. The combining screen has a desired inclination at the stored position in conformity with the layout of the displaying device within the dashboard regardless of another inclination of the combining screen at the operational position. That is, the combining screen can be received within the dashboard efficiently in space.
A second aspect of the invention is an apparatus for moving back a combining screen in a dashboard of a vehicle when the combining screen is not used. The combining screen is used for receiving an image emitted from a displaying device to superpose the image on a foreground of the vehicle such that the superposed image is visible for a driver""s eye. The displaying device is disposed in the dashboard. The combining screen is positioned above the dashboard and is inclined by a predetermined angle relative to an upward direction of the vehicle in an operational state of the combining screen. The apparatus includes:
an inner moving means for moving the combining screen between an intermediate position located above the displaying device in the dashboard and a stored position where the combining screen is located adjacent to the displaying device in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the dashboard and
an outer moving means for moving the combining screen between the intermediate position and an operational position of the combining screen.
In the second aspect of the invention, the outer moving means moves between the combining screen the operational position located above the dashboard and the intermediate position located above the displaying device in the dashboard. The dashboard requires an opening in the dashboard to pass the combining screen in an upright state, but the opening may be minimized in size.
In the meantime, the inner moving means moves the combining screen between the intermediate position and the stored position to be received adjacent to the displaying device in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Thus, the combining screen is received at the stored position not to vertically align with the displaying device.
Preferably, one of the inner and outer moving means has a cam channel and the combining screen has a pin movable along the cam channel, the cam channel and the pin defining a cam moving mechanism to move the combining screen, while the other of the inner and outer moving means has a pin holding mechanism for holding the pin, the pin holding mechanism movable with the pin to move the combining screen.
The pin can be commonly used in the inner and outer moving means for moving the combining screen.
Thus, the inner and outer moving means each can move the combining screen along each path by efficiently utilizing the pin.
Preferably, the outer moving means includes the pin holding mechanism, and the pin holding mechanism has a pin locking lever, a pin locking and releasing means, and an urging means for urging the pin locking lever toward the pin. The pin locking lever is movable together with the pin between the operational position and the intermediate position. The pin locking and releasing mechanism keeps the pin locking lever holding the pin between the operational position and the intermediate position, while the pin locking and releasing mechanism keeps the pin locking lever disengaged with the pin between the intermediate position and the stored position. The urging means urges the pin locking lever toward the pin between the operational position and the intermediate position so that the pin locking lever can hold the pin.
Thus, the combining screen is transferred from the inner moving means to the outer moving means at the intermediate position so that the locking lever holds the pin to move the combining screen toward the operational position. In the meantime, the urging means keeps the pin held by the locking lever until the combining screen reaches the intermediate position when the combining screen is moved from the operational position to the intermediate position.
Thus, the combining screen is surely moved from the operational position to the intermediate position.
Preferably, the inner and outer moving means are located adjacent to the displaying device in a lateral direction of the vehicle.
Thereby, the combining screen has no interference relation with the inner and outer moving means between the intermediate position and the stored position. Thus, the combining screen is efficiently received together with the moving means in the dashboard.
Preferably, the inner moving means moves the combining screen with varying the inclination of the combining screen between the intermediate position and the stored position.
During the movement of the combining screen along the curve between the intermediate position and the stored position, the inclination angle of the combining screen varies so that the combining screen can be received in the dashboard at the stored position in conformity with the layout of the displaying device.
The combining screen has a desired inclination at the stored position in conformity with the layout around the displaying device within the dashboard regardless of another inclination of the combining screen at the operational position. That is, the combining screen can be received within the dashboard efficiently in space.
Preferably, the apparatus further includes a cover closing an opening of the dashboard and a link for moving the cover, the opening being used for passing the combining screen when the combining screen moves between the intermediate position and the operational position. The link is operatively connected to the combining screen to move the cover in response to the movement of the combining screen.
Thus, the cover can open and close the dashboard opening without any additional driving unit, since the link can move the cover in relation to the movement of the combining screen between the stored position and the operational position.
Preferably, the link is operatively connected to the inner moving means so that the link can open and close the cover in response to the movement of the combining screen between the intermediate position and the stored position.
Thus, the cover can open and close the dashboard opening in relation to the movement of the combining screen between the stored position and the intermediate position such that the dashboard opening is opened before the combining screen moves from the intermediate position to operational position while the dashboard opening is closed after the combining screen has moved to the stored position. [106]
Accordingly, the combining screen can move into and out of the dashboard in no interference relationship with the cover unit.
Preferably, the cover has an intercepting plate that interrupts a driver""s view line to enter the dashboard through the opening when the opening is opened.
Thus, the intercepting plate prevents the driver""s view line from entering the dashboard through the opening when the opening is opened. This prevents light emitted from the displaying device from directly undesirably reaching the driver""s eye through the opening.
That is, the opening of the dashboard causes no annoyance for the driver even in the open state of the opening.